Segwaying’s an awesome way to spend some time

Zella Compton

COMMENT: All agencies must to held to account for Anne Savidge’s tragic death

Anyone seen Paul Blart: Mall Cop? Or shopped in Gunwharf recently and spotted the security people whizzing about? Can you guess what they both have in common?

I’ll give you a clue – two wheels, one central spoke, handlebars and a whole lot of speed. Yep, you’ve got it, Segways.

The course is all one-way, which made it perfect for my navigator husband as he could not – literally – go wrong.

I’m a subscriber to many offer e-mails, but do not avail myself of them too often.

However, this was one I couldn’t resist – a chance to go Segway rallying. It’s been on the cards for a long time as it took me ages to get a slot for five people and then when that was cancelled due to a hurricane (fair enough), it took me ages to get another slot.

So there we were, cheerfully arguing about directions to Marwell Zoo as opposed to Marwell activity centre and the fact that the difference was mentioned by me well in advance for my husband / navigator to take note of and acknowledge, when the rain started.

There’s a tip for life for you, by the way. Always get acknowledgement of driving destinations from your navigator to save the exasperation of arriving at the wrong destination. Again.

Luckily the rain was soft which meant, apart from looking like right wallies in hard hat, knee and elbow pads, everything else was pretty good.

Trussed up like a turkey at Christmas about to start an intergalactic war with stormtroopers, we mounted our Segways.

Then we went forward and backward by about three feet, learning that, however skilled you are at bike riding, those skills are of no use in Segway riding.

My favourite instruction without doubt was being told to use my belly. I knew that I had been cultivating it for some reason, and that turned out to be Segway riding.

It was great fun. Yes, it’s on a small course and the hills look a bit rubbish from a distance. But when you get going, really get going, they become mini-Everests and the course like a week-long adventure around the sub-Sahara.

Plus the course is all one-way, which made it perfect for my navigator husband as he could not – literally – go wrong.

Whipping around, overtaking the slower riders and generally scaring yourself is an awesome way to spend some time.